Gate-operator.



PPLIOATIN FILED NOV. 9, 1912. 1,066,692. Patented July 8, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. E. ANDERSON & C. C. MOKILLIPS.

GATE OPERATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED Nom 9, 1912.

1,066,692. Patented July 8, 1913.

3 SEBBTS-SHEBT 2.

COLUMNA PLANounAl-n Cc..wASmNuToN. D. t.

G. E. ANDERSON d: C. C. MGKILLIPS.

GATE OPERATOR.

PPLmATxoN FILED Nov. e, 1912.

1,066,692. rammed July 8,1913.

3 BHEBTB-SHEBT 3.

coLUMnlA PLANoaRAPnI co.. WASHINGTON. I. C.

verge and a-re Ipivotally con-nected as at 7 and 8 to two of the lazy-tong pivots at respectively opposite sides of the point 1 where the inner end of the gate is supported by the post. It follows that when these arms are spread apart at their lower ends the lazy-tong structure is distended and the gate shot across the roadway, and when these arms are contracted at Vtheir lower ends the lazy-tong structure is collapsed and the gate is retracted land therefore opened. The actuating mechanism preferably employed connects that arm of the lever L which stands over the gate and which moves vertically as the lever is turned on its pivot, with said arms in such manner that they are swung to and fro around their common pivot 6; and said actuating mechanism must therefore be of such type that it will convert `the vertical movement of the lever into a hori- Zontalmovement of said arms in directions opposite to each other.

Pivotally connected to the lever at the point 10 is what l will call t-he connector 11 whose function, as will be seen below, is to connectsaid lever with the actuating mechanism. This connector may be of any material and form, but by preference I stamp it from sheet metal and bend its upper end into a fork 12 as seen in Fig. 1, while its body is cut out for sake of lightness so as to produce two side arms 13 which are connected at their lower ends by a cross bar 14.

Pivots 15 and 16 for the actuating mechanism are provided at the extremities of said cross bar 14, and consist of rivets or bolts extending through it as seen in Fig. 4, their rear ends carrying the lip 17 best seen in Fig. 8, which, in the vertical movement of said connector, travels up and down across the face of a plate 18 best seen in Fig. 9 and which is provided with a groove 19 into which said lip falls at a time when the lever L stands horizontal. The purpose of this detail will be described below.

The actuating mechanism of itself comprises two links, or two separate links, which connect the lower end of the connector 11 with said pivoted arms 4 and 5, and it will be obvious that when the connector is raised and lowered by the lever L the actuating mechanisminust swing said arms apart and draw them toward each other again in order to expand and contract the gate as above described. In the construction shown, the single link 20 is pivoted at its outer end on Athe bolt or rivet 15 between the cross bar 14 of the connector and the lip 17, and eX- tends thence inward between the two arms 4, 4, and is pivoted at 21 between the other two arms 5, 5; and the pairof links 22, 2Q are pivoted at their outer ends on the pivot 16 between the cross bar 14 and the lip 17, and extend thence inward astride the other two arms 5, 5, past the pivot 21, and are Loef-3,692

pivoted at k23 to the two arms 4,4. The pivotal connecting point between the inner ends of all links and the arms stands in aY line midway between the highest and the lowest .positions of said cross bar 14 when the connector is raised and lowered, as shown in Figs. 5 .and G; and it follows that when the connector isdepressed as by drawing down on one end of the lever L the links assume the position shown in Fig. 5, but when the connector is raised as vby drawing down on the other lever VL the 'links assume the position shown in Fig. 6. In either extreme position the arms are forced toward each other so that the lazy-tong gate is collapsed, but when the links stand in a position intermediate between these two eX- tremes, or in a horizontal line with each other as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, the arms 4 and 5 are spread apart from each other and the lazy-tong gate is distended. At this time the lip 17 drops into the groove 19 of the plate 18 where it rests with some friction as seen in Fig. 4 and the gate will therefore remain held closed to the degree of this friction as against the possible tendency of that end of the lever L carrying the connector 11 to descend by reason of its slightly greater weight. l/Vhen the lever is tilted to move the links to either extreme position, said lip moves out of the groove in the plate 18 and rises or falls as the case may be. Ne might say that this device constitutes a friction latch for holding the gate closed. For holding it closed and yet without actually latching o-r locking it, the notch N in its outer end will be caused to rest upon the support S in the fence post F in a manner well shown in Fig. 1.

Vith this construction-of parts, an operator approaching from either side of the gate will find the lever L standing horizon-V tal when the gate is closed. If he draw down on the nearest handle H he will tilt the lever, and this action moves'the connector either up or down. Such movement carries the links to an oblique positionas seen in either Fig. 5 or 6, and either-position will force'the arms 4 and 5 toward each other and collapse the gate which therefore opens from across the roadway so that the operator may pass through. On the other side he grasps the other handle'H and draws the lever downward to a horizontal position, when the connector moves the parts to their relative positions asfillustrated in Fig. 3, and the gate is projected across the roadway behind the operator. If now it should so happen that he changes his mind andy wants to pass again quickly through the gate in the opposite direction, or possibly that he wants to open the gate for some one who is following him, he has but to pull down the same lever a littleV farther and the gate is again opened. Ordinarily, however,

he will leave the lever horizontal so that the lip rests within the groove as described above.

The proportions and materials of parts are not essential to the successful operation et this invention, and in fact considerable change in details may be made without departing from its principle.

l/Vhat is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a gate ot the lazytong type; of a main pivot supporting its inner end, a post in which the pivot is seated, a pair of arms connected at their lower ends with pivots in the gate structure on opposite sides oit' its main pivot, a com mon pivot in the post on which the upper ends et said arms are supported, and means for swinging said arms apart or drawing them toward each other.

2. The combination with a gate of the lazyiong type; of a main pivot supporting lts inner end, a post 1n which the pivot is seated, a pair ot' arms connected at their lower ends with pivots in the gate structure on opposite sides of its main pivot, a common pivot in the post on which the upper ends of said arms are supported, a lever pivotally mounted in the post alongside the roadway, actuating mechanism for drawing said arms toward each other or spreading them apart, and connecting mechanism between the lever and actuating mechanism.

3. The combination with a gate of the lazy-tong type; ot a main pivot supporting its inner end, a post in which the pivot is seated, a pair of arms connected at their lower ends with pivots in the gate structure on opposite sides of its main pivot, a common pivot in the post on which the upper ends of said arms are supported, a lever pivotally mounted in the post alongside the roadway, actuating mechanism for drawing said arms toward each other or spreading them apart, and a connector having a yoke at its upper end pivoted to said lever adjacent the post and side arms diverging downward from said yoke and connected by a cross bar at their lower ends, and pivots between said cross bar and the actuating mechanism, for the purpose set forth.

4i. The combination with a gate ot the lazyiong type; et a main pivot supporting its inner end, a post in which the pivot is seated, a pair ot arms connected at their lower ends with pivots in the gate structure on opposite sides oi. its main pivot, a common pivot in the post on which the upper ends of said arms are supported, a lever pivotall y mounted in the post alongside the roadway, a connector depending thereilrom and having a wide lower end, a `link pivot ally connecting one extremity et said lower end with the opposite arm, and a second link connecting the other extremity thereot with the other arm.

5. The combination with a gate of the lazy-tong type; ot a main pivot .supportingl its inner end, a post in which the pivot is seated, a pair ot arms connected at their lower ends with pivots in the gate structure. on opposite sides et its main pivot, a common pivot in the post on which the upper ends of said arms are supported, a lever pivotally mounted in the pest alongside the roadway, a connector' depending therefrom and having a wide lower end, link mechanism connecting one extremity of said lower end with the opposite arm and the other extremity with the other arm, a lip carried by said lower end, and a plate mounted on the post and having a groove with which said lip engages when said links stand horizontal and said arms are spread apart.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. ANDERSON. CHARLES C. MGKILLIPS.

Vitnesses:

R. J. VnsoN, R. C. BAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

